Shirley Johnson Duke (1925-2013) Obituary

Shirley Johnson Duke (1925-2013) Obituary

Our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Shirley Duke, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 7, 2013 after an unexpected return of lymphoma. She has now made her long anticipated and glorious reunion with her husband who preceded her in passing by nearly 20 years. Shirley was the fourth and youngest child of Howard and Selma Kern Johnson. She was born in the same home in Preston, Idaho in which her father was born and then died 91 years later.After graduating from Preston High School, Shirley worked as the private secretary to the Chief and Assistant Chief of Operations at Hill Air Force Base, and held top-secret classification. She then attended BYU, graduated in accounting, and later became a CPA.She married Victor H. Duke in the Salt Lake Temple on December 21, 1949. They were happily married for 44 years before he died in 1993. The young couple owned and operated two pharmacies in Magna and Kearns while Vic obtained his PhD at the University of Utah. They then lived in Albuquerque, NM, Laramie, WY, Missoula MT and finally Boise ID while Vic was a college professor. During this time Shirley practiced as a CPA and raised their three children. In 1985 they moved to Rexburg and resided there until Vic died in 1993. Shirley then moved to Bountiful UT to be near children and grandchildren.Shirley was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and was beloved in the Bountiful 50th Ward. She was multi-talented with a beautiful soprano voice and a wonderful ability to lead the congregation in hymn. She served others throughout her life, especially as Relief Society President and Chorister. The ward looked forward to her annual July address expressing her devotion to the Savior and our heritage as citizens of the United States of America.She spent countless hours tatting beautifully intricate snowflake ornaments that grace the Christmas trees of her children, grandchildren and many friends. She had a self-deprecating sense of humor and spent many hours living and loving her grandchildren who all miss her greatly already.Shirley leaves behind her three children, S. Jean Haugness, Jonathan M. Duke and James V. Duke, eight grandchildren, and 17 great grandchildren. Besides her parents and husband, she was pre-deceased by her three siblings and one grandchild.A viewing will be held at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 295 N. Main Bountiful UT from 6-8 PM on Friday, April 12. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, April 13 at the Bountiful Heights LDS Stake Center, 33 South Moss Hill Dr., Bountiful UT commencing at 10:00 AM and preceded by a viewing from 8:45 to 9:45 AM. Burial at the family plot will be at the Preston, ID Cemetery at 2:00 PM the same day. Online guestbook at www.russonmortuary.com.